Still Waters Run Deep
by Tauna Petit-Strawn
Summary: Not all vacations go the way they 're planned (sorry, I still stink at summaries). Victoria will also be in a few chapters. Rating and Genre always subject to change.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

** A/N **_**The towns that are mentioned in this chapter are-as far as I know-made up. With all the towns that have come and went through the years, I'm simply fabricating them. If, by some wild chance, such places existed-or exists- it's pure coincidence. I will put a *by them the first time they're mentioned. **_

Tap, tap, tap…the sound of Nick's spurs hitting the San Francisco hospital corridor rang throughout the air, causing more than one head to turn. Anyone who had the fleeting thought to tell the man dressed all in black to please take the spurs off quickly changed their minds…as the somber, 'don't mess with me' look in the stranger's eyes scared them enough that they simply went back to what they'd been doing before being startled by the unexpected noise.

When it came to Nick, he could care less about what his spurs were doing or what other people thought about them. He was walking the halls for one simple reason…he couldn't sit still and just wait. While he walked, he thought about the last week. It wasn't supposed to end like this. They were supposed to be home now, telling tall tales and exchanging stories with the rest of the family. However, before Nick could think of anything else, he wasn't shocked to see his mother entering the hospital, though he was surprised she hadn't beat him to San Francisco. He'd wired her the day before. Nick hurried towards Victoria…at the same speed she was rushing towards him.

"Mother!" Nick embraced Victoria and then stepped back. "I thought you'd be here sooner. Where's Audra? I thought she'd come with you."

Victoria shook her head. "Your sister had already left for Colorado before I got your telegram." She then stunned Nick by admitting the telegraph office had been having problems, and that she'd only received his message three and a half hours ago. "I talked with Fred. He said he'd go to the ranch tell Gene where I'd went and why. After that I went back to the train station. I was relieved to find the train to San Francisco had changed their schedule and was just about ready to leave." She figured there was no need to state the fact that she was going to have to go to a clothing store and buy a few items due to her hasty departure from Stockton. "Now, what on earth happened? How is Jarrod? Where in this place is he?"

Nick felt a strong wave of pain roll over him as he gestured in the direction he'd just come. "There's a room down there that we can talk in." He turned and started walking back to the room he'd been told he could wait in earlier; his mother was walking withi him in a split second. "Did you say Fred went to talk to Gene? Thought baby brother was staying at Berkley, he said a Professor Hillman needed his help."

Victoria shook her head. "The gentleman had his own family emergency come up." She looked at Nick as if to add, 'When it rains, it pours.' "I want an explanation! The three of you left the ranch and headed to *Blue Ridge; you said time off would feel great after all the work that you and Heath have been doing on the ranch, and Jarrod with his law practice. You said…" Victoria stopped abruptly-realizing that, unless her sons' plans had changed-just how far they would have had to travel to get to San Francisco. Her face paled…as she thought on the telegram that had been sent from *Silver City. _Jarrod hurt bad STOP Meet me at San Francisco Hospital STOP Nick. _ She knew that Silver City lay between Blue Ridge and San Francisco. One Samuel Acres practiced medicine in Silver City. Sure she'd thought about those facts before only it hadn't really sunk in - probably due to the shock she'd been dealing with. She turned her head and looked at Nick closer than she had before. "_What_ happened at Silver City?" She then added with a bit more force, "_What_ happened to your brother? Why didn't Dr. Acres help? How did you get Jarrod here? You only had your horses." Victoria shot off the questions, even though it was uncharacteristic of her to ask a question without waiting for an answer.

Nick said nothing until he and his mother entered a small area with no door. The space held two chairs-two on the north side of the room and two on the south. There were various books spread from one end of a small table to the other end. There was also a rack in the northwest corner of the room. Nick sat down in one of the chairs on the north side while his mother sat in one on the south…she wanted to be able to look Nick in the eye without having to turn sideways to do it. Nick sighed and shook his head. "We never made it to Blue Ridge. Jarrod was hurt outside Silver City. The livery stable owner there sold me a wagon dirt cheap. I harnessed Jingo and Coco to the wagon." Nick took a deep breath and added, due to a look of confusion that appeared in his mother's eyes, "Dr. Acres looked at Jarrod and did what he could." He rested his elbows on his knees and rubbed the palms of his hands together, glanced down at the floor and then back up at his mother. "I brought Jarrod here under Dr. Acres' orders." He paused and then sighed as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. "Jarrod's being operated on at this moment." Nick wasn't surprised to see his mother stiffen, looking as if someone had hit her square in the chest.

Victoria, who felt exactly like Nick thought she did, had it hit her like a ton of bricks that Nick had said nothing about Heath, and she could see that her blonde haired stepson was no where nearby. "If Jarrod is in one of the operating rooms, where is Heath?"

"I don't know exactly. He and Nathaniel pushed for me to get Jarrod to Dr. Acres without them, said they would decoy the men away from Jarrod and I, so I could get Jarrod the help he desperately needed. Concha took their side." Nick shivered just a little-never stopping to think to clarify who Nathaniel or Concha were-or the fact that she had yet to be told of the events of the past few days.

"Heath and Nathaniel? 'The men'"? Decoy? Concha backed them up?" Victoria's voice rose just a little. "I think you best tell me exactly what happened…starting from the moment you left the house until you left Dr. Acres, and don't stop until you've told me everything!"

Nick nodded slightly and began the tale.

A/N If a chapter has both past and present events, past events will be in italics


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

**_Previously: _**

**"Heath and Nathaniel? 'The men' Decoy?" Victoria's voice rose just a little. "I think you best tell me exactly what happened…starting from the moment you left the house until you left Dr. Acres, and don't stop until you've told me everything!"**

** Nick nodded slightly and began the tale. **

_ "You two better not waste any more time, or I'll leave you behind in my dust!" Nick yelled over his shoulder as hurried down the stairs; a smile was spread from one side of his face to the other. After endless hours of fixing fences, branding, and cattle drives, the hot-tempered rancher was eager get the vacation he, Heath and Jarrod had planned. That last part, the fact that Jarrod was joining them really excited him….as Jarrod had had so little time to do anything of a more light-hearted nature._

_ "Since I'm already down here, dear brother, I don't think I will be left behind." Jarrod walked up the hallway just as his loudest brother reached the bottom of the stairs. He had to hold in a chuckle when Nick, who hadn't seen Jarrod, seemed to jump three feet in the air._

_ "You could give a man heart attack!" Nick growled-though his eyes were laughing as he did so. "You coming, Heath!" Nick called up the stairs, just as the front door opened._

_ "I was wondering what was keeping you two." Heath made both his brothers jump backwards when he stepped into the house._

_ Both Nick and Jarrod shook their heads and headed for the door. "What did you do? Sleep in the barn?" Nick asked, though he was out the door by the time the last word was spoken._

_ Heath and Jarrod just chuckled as they followed Nick to the barn. Once inside, the three brothers wasted no time in saddling their horses and throwing their bedrolls over the back of their horses. "Oh," Jarrod looked up after tightening the cinch on his saddle, "I hope you two don't mind that Nathaniel Tyler may very well join us outside Blue ridge, if not before. I told him a few places that he could wait for us."_

_ Nick stared at Jarrod, completely baffled. "Nathaniel Tyler? That city slicker wants to go with us? Why?" _

_ Jarrod nodded and smiled. "Yes, that 'city slicker'-as you put it-is doing just that. He, like me, has found some time on his hands. I invited him when he said it had been ages since he'd enjoyed the outdoors." Jarrod wasn't surprised when a look of utter shock appeared on Nick's face. "He's always had a love of hunting, fishing and camping; he's just let his career get in his way of enjoying such things."_

_ Nick remembered the first time he'd met the red headed, red bearded friend of Jarrod's. It had been at a restaurant in Sacramento when Jarrod had drug him to lunch to meet Nathaniel; the two lawyers had some business to discuss. "I'll take your word on it until I see it for myself." He sure hadn't come across as someone missing anything connected to activities connected to creeks, small hills or anything attached to them. Still, Nick said nothing as he led Coco out of the barn while his brothers did the same with their horses._

_ "You forgot these!" Silas came hurrying towards them; he was carrying a couple of small boxes. They were gifts from Silas to two of his good friends; the three Barkleys had promised to mail them for the family's faithful servant. _

_ "We're sorry, Silas." Jarrod reached down and took one of the packages while Nick took the other one. "We'll get them sent off before we do anything else."_

_ "Thank you, Mister Jarrod. You too." Silas looked at Nick and Heath. He then hurried back into the house, saying he had to get back to work._

_ "When we get back," Heath glanced towards the house as he and his brothers rode for the open gate, "I think we need to convince Silas it's okay to take some time off."_

_ "We'll have to have Mother talk to him." Nick chuckled. "She's the only one who seems to be able to get him to do such a thing." _

_ The three brothers changed subjects and started discussing their various plans for the next week. Since they'd already knew where they planned on camping, they discussed the fishing and hunting. When Heath asked how well Nathaniel could tell directions-due to a comment Jarrod made, his oldest brother told him not to worry. "He'll be fine. That man has a built in compass. I've tried more than once-as a joke-to get him lost in Sacramento and San Francisco. I haven't succeeded yet." Jarrod, who could see something was bothering Nick, stopped discussing the fishing and asked Nick to 'come out with it'. "Something's under your saddle. What is it?"_

_Nick wanted to deny that statement only he couldn't. The truth was the fact that there would be a fourth person, one who hadn't been anywhere but his office or one of the places of entertainment that a city would hold for a long time, wasn't sitting well with Nick. While he had been trying to hide the irritation that had been growing the more Jarrod talked about Nathaniel, Nick finally let out a low growl. "Awhile back you commented how long he's lived in those two places. Of course, he knows exactly where he's at! Only, you admitted he hasn't been in the outdoors for ages! I was looking forward to a week long vacation with my brothers, not having to worry about a man who could very well get himself lost!" _

_ Jarrod shook his head. "Nathaniel has a good head on his shoulders and an eye for every little detail. He'll be fine. Sure," he chuckled, "the man might find a few muscles yelling at him sooner than later, but he'll be fine. And," he said, turning his head slightly so as to be able to see his brother, "we'll all have a good time, just like we planned." _

_ Nick nodded and fell silent for the rest of the ride into Stockton. Though, the truth was, he found himself with a very uncomfortable feeling wash over him..and he knew it wasn't just irritation that was behind it._

"Why didn't you say something?" Victoria spoke up when Nick felt silent-she could see the guilt he felt for not doing showing in his eyes.

"Jarrod and Heath had already started discussing our planned activities." Nick sighed. "I figured they wouldn't listen. I thought they'd just tell me it was my jealously over the fact that Nathaniel was coming along."

Victoria hated to admit it only she could see where her son was coming from. Too many times he had told the family something only to have them laugh and brush it aside... especially when that 'green-eyed' monster had already appeared. "Please, continue."

Nick rubbed his hands together for the hundredth time and did as his mother asked.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Nick, Jarrod and Heath had barely walked out of the post office when the three of them practically bumped into the sheriff. "Sorry, Fred." Heath apologized to the lawman who wore an upset look on his face. "We were in too much of a hurry."

"He was in too much of a hurry." Jarrod interjected, something that Nick was more than happy to back up-especially since it was usually him that pushed things.

"It's all right." Fred, who had more important things on his mind, wasn't going to worry about who bumped into him first. "You save me a trip to your office or out to the ranch." He looked at Jarrod as he spoke.

"What's up?" Jarrod asked, half afraid his vacation was over before it started. The looks in his brothers' eyes were wondering the same thing.

"Do you remember Allan Pratt?" Fred asked, his voice was even and held not tone of warmth.

All three brothers' eyebrows raised just a little. They all remembered the short, stocky brown haired man who had immigrated over to America with his parents. He, himself, had only been two or three. Jarrod, who understood now understood the negative look on his friend's face, replied with a tone of disgust in his voice, "Unfortunately, I do. He went to prison ten years ago. Are you saying he's out and heading this way?"

"I don't know if he's heading this way or not, but yes he was released. Only his release by itself is not why I stopped you." Fred said as he and the Barkleys stepped closer to the post office-as a gentleman needed to pass by them. "Two of his friends escaped shortly after he walked out the front gate of the prison. The law doesn't have any definite proof only there is circumstantial evidence that Mr. Pratt was in on the escape."

"Which friends?" Jarrod asked, feeling strongly that the 'friends' were the reason Fred had been looking for him.

"Kyle and Lewis Rankin." Fred replied bluntly, keeping an eye on both Jarrod and Jarrod as he answered.

"Kyle and Lewis!" Jarrod's eyes widened. He hadn't heard those names for a few years. Naturally, his reaction got the attention of his brothers.

"Jarrod?" Nick, who didn't like his brother's reaction, took a small step towards Jarrod.

"Nathaniel prosecuted the fraternal twin brothers five years ago." Jarrod looked from Nick to Heath, and then back to Fred. "I helped my friend to get the evidence he needed to present in court." Jarrod didn't like the idea the men had escaped, nor did his brothers.

"You're afraid that, if Allan was in on their escape, the three men will come to Stockton?" Jarrod asked, due to past conversations he and Fred had had in the past.

"Maybe though, I will get lucky. Maybe, by the time the three of you come back from your vacation, Allan will have been questioned and the escapees caught." Fred wasn't really sure that would happen only he wished it would. "Just keep your eyes and ears open if you would." Fred then apologized for putting any sort of damper on their small vacation.

"Not your fault," Jarrod assured him, and then excused himself, saying he was going to pick up a few items at one of the general stores in town. "As prepared as I was, I can't believe I forgot a few things." Nick and Heath, who figured they might as well pick up a few extra items, did the same while Fred went back to walking the streets of Stockton.

Once inside the store Jarrod wasted no time getting the few things he needed, as did Heath. On the other hand, the uncomfortable feeling Nick had had earlier washed over him again. "Did those men ever threaten your friend?" Nick asked as he laid a few items-which included a few extra boxes of bullets-on the counter and pulled out his wallet, in order to pay the clerk behind the greenish counter. Personally, Nick thought the man needed to repaint the thing, but he wasn't going to tell the store owner what color he had to use when painting something that belonged to himself.

"Kyle never did only that twin brother of his sure did. He didn't like the idea he was going to prison for something he claimed he never did. Only, before you ask, all the evidence we found was backed up by nine eyewitnesses. The man was as guilty as sin." A part of Jarrod, who had noticed that Nick had bought extra ammunition, wanted to tell his hot-tempered brother to put the bullets back. Instead, he continued talking. "I wouldn't worry though. We're not going to be in any city, and that's exactly where those men will head for. None of them had an ounce of love for any piece of country." He picked up the few items he had bought and headed out the door with Heath. Nick was right behind them…after buying another box of shells.

While Nick and his brothers were getting ready to leave Stockton, Nathanial Tyler was in his one bedroom apartment packing his bags. He had been caught off guard by Jarrod's invitation; still, he'd accepted it gladly. While he did indeed love living in the city, he also missed the days he'd go into the woods or various other places that had no sign of the life he'd chosen for himself. He and his father-who was an avid outdoorsmen-may not have converted him to country living only the gentleman had succeeded in teaching his son to appreciate such things, along with lighting the 'inner compass' that Jarrod's coworker seemed to have inside him.

Nathanial looked around the room, in order to make sure he hadn't forgotten something. When he was satisfied he had every thing, he walked out the door.


	4. Chapter 4

Story Chapter Four

When a white haired doctor who appeared to be in his late fifties wearing a very serious look upon his face stepped into the small room, Nick quit telling the story he'd been relating to his mother and stood up. Though, he already knew Nick, the good doctor introduced himself to Victoria. Once he was done doing that, Nick-who was standing up by this time, asked, "The operation is over; will my brother be all right?"

Dr. Philip Belvin took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes, the operation is over. When it comes to your brother, time will tell on that one. I'm pretty sure he'll live only there may be some lasting consequences. I can't rightly say. He's being moved to a room right now. However, if you had traveled here from anywhere beyond Silver City, I'm not convinced I'd be doing anything but signing his death certificate." He could tell his words shook his patient's family members up only he didn't know what to do about it. He'd only told them the truth. He then looked straight at Victoria, who had also risen to her feet once he'd entered the room. "Are you the mother?"

"Yes, I am. My son was telling me what led up to his older brother being hurt. Though," she looked at Nick and the doctor, "before he continues, I want to be told exactly what my son's injuries were." When the doctor gave Nick a surprised looked, Victoria hurried to add, "My son's been doing as I asked-giving me the details that led up to the incident." An understanding look replaced the doctor's surprised one. Victoria continued, "I also want to know which room he is being taken to." She spoke in a no nonsense tone of voice, one that made the doctor smile just a little.

Dr. Belvin nodded and motioned the two Barkleys to follow him. "Normally, I'd just tell you here only I have to head in that direction anyway." He stepped out into the hallway and started walking, talking as he did so. "Your son was shot once; actually twice only the second bullet grazed the side of his head. I'm hoping it's done nothing to his sight." He wasn't surprised by the worry that showed in Nick and Victoria's eyes; though, he simply continued talking. "Dr. Acres cleaned up the side of your son's head without a problem, trying to get the bullet inside him out was a different story. As you know, Dr. Acres is looking for a replacement for himself. Truth is, his eyesight is starting to give him problems. With that being the case, he felt it was imperative that your injured son be brought here-to us. It was definitely a high risk thing to do only, as I just said, your son would have died no questions asked."

While the thought of how close Jarrod had come to dying made her sick to her stomach, Victoria was more than grateful Nick had gotten his brother to the San Francisco hospital in time. "What other lasting consequences might there be besides a slight possibility of blindness?" Even as she asked the question, Victoria had the strongest impression that Jarrod would not lose his eyesight.

"The bullet that needed to be removed was against his spine." Dr. Belvin wasn't surprised by the gasps that came from Victoria. If he was the one hearing the words he'd just spoken, he'd have had the same reaction. "I don't think it's done any permanent damage. I mean, it doesn't appear to have actually hit it. However, we won't know until he comes to. Though, as I said, I highly doubt we're looking at paralysis. If anything, I suspect he'll need therapy on his legs due to muscle damage." He stopped at the head of corridor that was connected to the hallway they were in. He pointed down the hall. "He's in the last room to your right. You're more than welcome to sit with him. I have to go now. I'll be back later."

Victoria and Nick watched as the doctor walked away and then turned their attention to making their way down the hall to the room Dr. Belvin had said Jarrod would be in. The few doors that were opened, along with the nurses' station, were completely ignored by Victoria and her middle son. Not that they didn't feel bad for the other patients, nor were they trying to be rude to the hospital staff. They simply wanted to get to Jarrod as quickly as possible. Once they stepped inside Jarrod's room, Victoria felt a catch in her throat as she walked up beside her unconscious son's bed. She could see some stitches on the left side of his head and his wide, white bandages were wrapped around his lower chest and abdomen. "What happened once you left Stockton?" She looked at Nick as he pulled a chair away from the north wall and moved it next to the bed so she could sit on the left side of the bed.

"Nothing at first." Nick pulled the only other chair in the room over to his brother's bed and placed it on the right side of Jarrod's bed. "We rode awhile, talked, swapped stories and found a place to bed down the first night. Jarrod was pretty sure Nathaniel would be waiting for us at one of the railroad's water stops."

Due to the flash of anger that appeared in Nick's eyes for a second, Victoria just knew that whatever else Nick told her Jarrod's friend had, in one way or the other, had a hand in causing the problem her sons had had. "He was and he brought trouble."

Nick let out a frustrated growl. "Not intentionally, and not right away, but yes, the trouble that eventually came was connected to him."

"Please, continue. Start with when the three of you met Jarrod's friend." Victoria laid her hand on top of Jarrod's as she made the request of Nick. She hoped that, in some way, her oldest would feel their presence and their support.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

_**Previously: **_

"_Please, continue. Start with when the three of you met Jarrod's friend at the watering stop." Victoria laid her hand on top of Jarrod's as she made the request of Nick. She hoped that, in some way, her oldest would feel their presence and their support._

As the first water stop the three brothers planned on stopping at came into view, they could see a man sitting on his horse, near the railroad tracks, next to a huge metal water tank. Even though there was still some distance between them, they could still tell his hair was red. "Looks like your friend decided he wanted to join us as soon possible." Nick turned his head slightly and looked at Jarrod.

Jarrod, who hadn't expected to see Nathaniel until they got closer to Blue Ridge, smiled. He remembered how hard he'd tried to get his friend to agree to leave work earlier than Nathaniel had planned. "I am going with you and your brothers only I need to finish this first." He'd held up a file with some papers in it. The gentleman had to have changed his mind in order to meet them here instead of farther up the line.

"Wondered how long I'd have to wait," Nathaniel grinned as the three brothers rode up and stopped their horses in front of him.

"You haven't been waiting long, have you?" Jarrod took a hold of his saddle's horn and leaned forward.

"No," Nathaniel laughed. "I have only been here; maybe, two minutes-if that. I saw you heading this way shortly after I stopped my horse."

"What time did you leave your office, last night at midnight?" Nick had a smile a mile wide on his face when he asked the question.

"Felt like it," Nathaniel shot back, and then admitted how close he'd come to changing his mind. "Didn't realize how much I'd allowed my work to control me, how much I've missed out seeing because of it. So…" he flicked his wrist and then slid his hand in a motion that made it so it looked like he was trying to slice the air around him. "Don't go into shock. I'm here."

"Well, let's refill our canteens and water the horses before we continue riding." Heath said as he dismounted his horse. Jarrod, Nick and Nathaniel followed suit. Soon they had their fill of water and had made sure their animals had also received their fill.

While Jarrod and Nathaniel were swapping tales, Nick found himself looking around-as did Heath. There were a few trees nearby, and some farther away only, for the most part, there was simply grass. "You feel it too?" Nick looked at his blonde haired brother, hoping that was the case. He didn't wish to be told he wasn't relaxing enough and was imagining things. Nick's question to his half-brother, caused Jarrod and Nathaniel to quit talking and turn their attention to the two younger Barkley brothers.

"If you're asking if I feel like we're being watched then the answer is yes. Though, I sure can't see a sign of anyone." Heath replied as he and Nick looked around again-as did Jarrod and Nathaniel. "Maybe we're all simply too stressed, need more rest than we thought." Heath added as an afterthought. He didn't know why making such a statement had him realizing just how many extra miles Nathaniel had added to his journey by riding to this particular water stop. On the tail end of that realization, it also hit the blonde haired cowboy that he'd seen a lightening fast streak of fear flash through Jarrod's friend's eyes when he realized Nick and Heath said they felt like someone was watching them. It made him want to question Nathanial right then and there only-if they were being watched- Heath figured it would be better to push on to a place that had more cover before he said anything.

"Let's get moving." Jarrod, unaware of Heath's thoughts, had also realized, and seen, the same thing as Heath, looked at his friend. He couldn't help but wonder if Nathaniel had learned the same thing that Fred had told Jarrod and his two brothers. Only he figured he'd put off questioning Nathaniel until the four of them got to their first camp site…which was just outside Silver City. It wasn't long until Jarrod, his brothers, and his friend were riding away from the water stop.

While Jarrod and Nathaniel chalked up the uneasy feeling that was now in the air due to too much stress, Nick and Heath were keeping their ears and eyes wide open…mostly because the uncomfortable feeling that someone was indeed watching them wouldn't leave. Had the two ranchers been able to see past the trees they were leaving behind and up a rather long hill that those trees were hiding, they'd have seen two men sitting on their own horses.

"Mr. Tyler gave us the slip in San Francisco, and by sheer luck we found him. I don't see why we didn't just get a bit closer and take him out! Come to think about it, we could have taken his friend out as well! After all, Jarrod Barkley helped him convict us!" Black haired Lewis Rankin barked at his blonde haired twin.

"And be shot by the other two before we had a chance of escaping?" Kyle gave Lewis a look that screamed 'Are you crazy?' "Besides," Kyle had an evil grin spread across his face. "We're supposed to meet Allan in an hour. After all three of us are together, we'll bring him back him here. The man is a pretty good tracker. Barkley and Tyler won't ever see the streets of San Francisco again, or any other city for that matter. And before you say anything, I had a contact check with Tyler's law office. He's not due back there for a week-which means we have plenty of time."

If his brother wasn't right about Allan and his tracking abilities, Lewis would have argued with the man. That being the case, while Lewis wasn't totally convinced, he decided against arguing with his brother. "Okay, I can wait for my revenge. However, the moment we're with Allan we start tracking those two. I want to catch a train to New Orleans as soon as possible."

His brother would have asked why only he knew all about the dance hall girl his brother had fallen for; one that said she'd be waiting in Louisiana for him once he was no longer behind bars. Nothing more was said as the two men watched the two lawyers, Nick and Heath ride out of sight.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

_**A/N I am using writer's liberty when coming to the scenery. It's been YEARS since I've been in any part of California.**_

_**A/N *Reminder that Silver City and Blue Ridge represent towns that are no longer in existence. If there were (or are) towns by those names just out of San Francisco, I don't know it.**_

By the time darkness began to fall Jarrod, Nick, Heath and Nathaniel had made pretty good time, though they had not reached Silver City. "This looks as good of a place as any to camp for the night." Heath said as the four men looked around a small clearing surrounded by trees and a few bushes. They could hear the sound of water running down a small creek.

"We should be in Silver City tomorrow." Nathaniel commented as he and the Barkley brothers dismounted their horses. "Blue Ridge is another day's journey after that. Maybe we should have taken more time off."

Nick couldn't help but laugh. "From what big brother says, you barely convinced yourself to take a week off; I can't imagine the fight you'd have had with yourself if you thought about taking more than that. You sure you going to last the whole time?" His brothers and Nathaniel could hear the teasing tone in Nick's voice.

"Guilty as charged, and I'll be fine." Nathaniel held up his hands in mock surrender. "And, if by chance I change my mind, Silver City isn't all that far from San Francisco. In fact, if I hadn't felt like taking a long ride, I'd just have met you there."

Jarrod and Nick chuckled while Heath gave his eldest brother's friend a small crooked smile-even as he saw another flash of concern race across Nathaniel's face.

When Nathaniel offered to gather some firewood, Heath saw an opening to corner the man without Nick and Jarrod around. "I'll help you." Heath said as he followed Jarrod's friend away from the campsite, but said nothing before his brothers were out of sight and earshot. Then he caught Nathaniel off guard by stopping him and asking what he was afraid of. "And don't tell me nothing." Heath said as he shocked Jarrod's friend by admitting what he'd seen at the water stop. "I saw it again when Nick was teasing you."

The usually confident Nathaniel sat down on a nearby stump, clasped his hands and looked down at the ground for a moment. Then, just before Heath was ready to ask the question again, he looked up-an apologetic look appeared in his eyes. "After I left my office, I realized I was being followed. No," he shook his head and answered the silent question he saw in the blonde haired cowboy's eyes. "I don't know who it was. Actually, I had the feeling there was more than one man tailing me. I did manage to give whoever it was the slip…or so I thought. Now, I'm not all that sure." He stood up, the apology in his eyes remained visible. "I can always go back to San Francisco. I don't want to be the cause of any of you getting hurt."

"You're not going anywhere." Jarrod startled Heath and Nathaniel when he spoke up from behind them. They were also shocked to see Nick standing next to the famous Stockton attorney. "We heard everything." Jarrod added before Heath and Nathaniel could reply.

"Thought you two were setting up camp," Heath eyed his brothers, wondering what had made them follow him and Nathaniel. He didn't have to wait long, as Jarrod admitting to having similar thoughts as Heath.

Jarrod then turned his attention to his friend and asked Nathaniel if he'd heard the same thing when it came to Mr. Pratt and the Rankin twins. "Is that why you traveled so far to meet us? Did you not want to wait until we met at Blue Ridge?"

While he'd hoped for a different reaction He wasn't surprised when -shock appeared on Nathaniel's face-along with a denial of knowing such news. "I had to shake whoever was tailing me. I figured no one would expect me to travel this many miles out of the city."

"What did the person who was following you look like?" Jarrod asked, wondering if it was the twins or someone they'd hired.

Nathaniel shook his head. "I never actually saw anyone. Just started getting this funny feeling, and it didn't go away until I went to great lengths to disappear. I really thought I shook whoever it was off my trail. I never would have come to meet you if I thought otherwise." He thought for a moment and then voiced Jarrod's silent musings. "Those twins did threaten me as they were hauled out of court." He once again offered to go back to the city. "I don't want any of you hurt because of me."

All three Barkleys looked at each other and then, after each silently voting, looked back at Nathaniel. "We're sticking together." Jarrod spoke up. "If anything does happen to any of us or you, none of us will be to blame. That luxury will be laid at the feet of whoever is behind the violence. Now," Jarrod looked around. "I'd say we'd best take turns staying awake just in case."

"I'll take first watch." Nick volunteered. "Only I think we should move our camp out of the clearing. Maybe, sleep behind the trees that are clumped together, or some of the taller bushes."

For a split second all four men seemed to travel back in time, back to the when war was raging through the United States. "Good idea," Jarrod finally spoke as he headed back to the clearing, "Let's just hope we're wrong and whoever you felt is simply passing by."

Nathaniel, not knowing he had succeeded in shaking the men off his trail and that it had been sheer luck that had brought them back into the picture, followed silently behind Jarrod.

"Whoever we felt wasn't just traveling through the area, and this isn't going to be the vacation we planned." Heath whispered to Nick as the two of them followed their brother and Nathaniel.

Nick wanted to argue with Heath and tell him that ninety – five percent of the time Jarrod was right. Only problem was…that left five percent for human error, along with the fact that the feeling he hadn't wasted his money buying extra bullets wouldn't leave him. However, he said nothing as he and Heath walked to the original intended campsite and then began rolling up their bedrolls in order to move them.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

A/N Reminder… when any chapter has both 'past' and 'present' events -the past will be in Italics.

_ It was almost one in the afternoon by the time Kyle and Lewis Rankin stopped their horses. There were trees all about them while the trees were surrounded by nearby hills. While neither one of them wanted to admit it, both knew if they went any further they'd be lost…as they also didn't want to admit they'd forgotten the exact directions Allan had given them! They might have stayed in one place-not knowing exactly what to say or do only, to their utter astonishment, Allan Pratt came into sight and headed straight for them. He was riding what had to be the finest black stallion the Rankins had ever seen._

_ "What are you two doing here? We're not supposed to meet here." The fact that Allan wasn't happy could be seen in his angry eyes and upset tone of voice. Truth was, he wasn't happy meeting up with the twins at all only they'd saved his life in prison-so he had helped them escape and promised to help them with one job._

_ "Instead of helping us with the job we discussed, how about you help us take down Nathaniel Tyler and Jarrod Barkley?" Kyle asked, full of desire for revenge, leaned forward in his saddle. Knowing how much Allan resented being caught and prosecuted himself, Kyle wasn't surprised to see the same feelings he had in Allan's eyes._

_ Allan was more than happy to join forces with these two men for the purpose they stated. "They're together? You know where they're at?"_

_ "They're together." Kyle growled low, and then told Allen all they'd seen, along with the reason they hadn't immediately fired upon the men. "The place we saw them in isn't that far away, and you're a mighty fine tracker from what we heard behind bars."  
_

_ Allan wasn't as good a tracker as everyone insisted on saying he was; however, he still did a pretty good job. Seeing this was the case, the man saw no reason to correct the statement his associate had just made. "Take me to where you saw them." He looked up at the sky. In spite of the wind that was starting to pick up, there wasn't a sign of cloud in the sky. He hoped that meant it was only the wind that was going to bother them. "I'll find their trail in no time."_

_ The Rankins chuckled, turned their horses around and wasted no time in heading back in the direction they'd just come-and Allan was right behind them. _

_However, none of the men would have been so confident and felt worry free if they had turned their heads and looked back at the spot they'd just met in. If they had, they'd have noticed a clump of trees that seemed to be distanced just a little from the other trees. Those trees were surrounded by bushes that needed to be cut down-or at least be trimmed back a bit. They'd also seen a lone rider and their horse come out from behind the trees and saw the rider mount the animal. As it was, a dark haired, five feet five inch, twenty-four year old woman by the name of Concha Isabel Bronson—who was dressed in a buckskin shirt, buckskin pants with a long Bowie knife hanging on her side-went unnoticed. Also, if they had checked their backs, they might have been able to see the fire that was in her eyes. It was a fire that had started the moment they'd started talking about taking the two lawyers down and who was with them._

_Heath's words, the ones spoken the last time he'd ridden though Lodi on some business, were once again ringing in her ears. The two of them had been standing on her grandfather's porch at the time. __**"I might be tempted to stay only I already promised Nick and Jarrod to go to Blue Ridge with them-after we stopped in Silver City to visit some friends. We're going to camp in that clearing I told you about.' He was wearing his lopsided grin as he spoke.**_

"_**I suppose one of these days, I'll have to find my way to Stockton. The way you keep talking about your brothers, along with your stepmother and sister, I'd like to meet the." She then surprised herself by asking him if his family even knew about her.**_

_**Heath blushed just a little-which amused her- and admitted he hadn't spoken about her. "I told you Nick has a way of tripping over his own two feet at the sight of a beautiful woman. Make it to Stockton, and I'll be more than happy to admit to knowing you though."**_

"_Come on, Abraham." Concha tapped her horse and started racing down another trail as fast as she dared push the animal. "There's no need to follow those men. I know which road to take and where to head to." She just hoped she'd get to Heath, his brothers and their friend before it was too late._

Nick stopped talking and leaned forward-as did Victoria-when Jarrod let out a groan. "Jarrod?" Nick asked as he laid his hand on his older brother's shoulder. Both he and Victoria let out a breath neither one of them realized they were holding when Jarrod opened his eyes.

For Jarrod's part, he blinked his eyes a couple of times and then looked around. While he was relieved to see Nick, he was surprised to see their mother with him. Though, it took a minute for him to remember everything. When he did, worry leapt into his eyes. "Where am I? Where are Heath and Nathaniel?"

"I don't know for sure." Nick, who was thrilled to realize Jarrod was looking right at him, replied as he repeated what he'd told Victoria about his brother and Jarrod's friend.

"What about Miss Bronson?" Jarrod asked, thinking on the beautiful woman who had shocked all four men when she came barreling into their camp.

Nick who had a wave of visible guilt roll over him, causing a look of alarm to come into Jarrod's eyes, replied, "I can't say for sure." He paused and then said quietly, "I think there's a high chance she'd dead."

Jarrod didn't like that. He had seen the way Heath and she looked at each other, heard they way the laughed and talked togehter. He hated the idea of Heath having yet another heartache to add to his already long list. "You don't know for sure? What happened?"

"I've been telling Mother everything from the beginning. I haven't gotten that far. Do you mind if I simply continue telling her the story? Only first," he glanced at Jarrod's legs, "Can you move at all?" It was a question his mother's eyes were asking as well.

Jarrod, who remembered the feeling of a bullet hitting his back, felt a bit of fear grip his heart. He looked toward the end of the bed, as did his brother and mother. They were all relieved when he moved his feet, though Jarrod was concerned when he admitted he was having a bit of a struggle to do so.

"The doctor said that might be the case, and that therapy was a high possibility. Though," Victoria said, her eyes beaming with happiness. "You'll be fine in time."

Jarrod's relief at hearing such news could clearly be seen as he tried to sit…which he succeeded in doing with Nick's help. Afterwards, Victoria insisted Nick continue the story.


	8. Chapter 8

Still Waters Run Deep Chapter Eight

It was late afternoon-almost five o'clock- before Jarrod, his brothers and Nathaniel rode into the small, but thriving, town of Silver City. Naturally, the main street was lined on both sides with various businesses. They might have headed to the saloon only Sheriff Miles Carter-a red headed gentleman who was in his late thirties-stepped out of his office. Upon seeing who had just ridden into town, a smile a mile long spread over his face. He stepped off the boardwalk and called out the Stockton attorney's name, "JARROD BARKLEY!" Because he'd waited until they were only a few feet away, the four men heard him without a problem. "I thought you were too busy to come through here for anything but business." He made the statement as he looked at the three men with his law acquaintance.

Jarrod chuckled and dismounted Jingo; his brothers and friend wasted no time getting out of their saddles either. "Everyone needs a vacation." Jarrod laughed again as he reached out and shook Miles' hand, and then introduced the lawman to his brothers and Nathaniel. "We'll be heading to Blue Ridge day after tomorrow. Until then, we'll be camping five miles outside town. Think you can handle that?" Jarrod teased the sheriff, and then asked if the café had a decent cook yet. He had to hold in a laugh as he looked out of the corner of his eye and saw the worried look that had leapt into Nick's eyes the moment his older brother asked the question.

"If I can't, I need a new line of work." Miles laughed at the question, along with Nick's reaction-as he'd seen it as well. "Don't worry about the food. My niece started cooking for the owners a few months ago. As you know, she's a mighty fine cook! No one leaves that place hungry; I guarantee it!"

"Good, because I'm starving!" Nick piped up, as he started leading Coco down the street and towards the livery stable. That had everyone laughing.

"I'll see you all later." Miles walked away while Jarrod and the others joined Nick. It didn't take but twenty minutes, if that, to get their horses situated in the livery stable and to find their way to the café.

Once inside, they looked around. The walls appeared to have a brand new coat of paint, and they sported a wide strip of wallpaper that wrapped itself around the top of the walls. Tables were evenly spaced throughout the dining room. Most of the tables were full; however, there was still an empty one near the back of the dining room.

"May I get you a table?" A young dark haired waitress whose hair sat on the back of her head in a bun walked up to the four men.

Nick took one look into her hazel eyes and, for a split second, wished he was going to Blue Ridge alone. However, any such musings stopped when Jarrod spoke up and thanked her and then, due to the fact the waitress asked if anyone would be joining the men, "It's just the four of us."

"Put your eyes back in their sockets, Nick." Jarrod grinned at his brother once the beautiful waitress had handed them the menus and walked away.

"I was only looking." Nick retorted-though the reply held no sharpness to it-as his eyes were too busy laughing. Though, any laughing stopped when an older grayed haired woman wearing a dark dress with a white, frilly, collar and a black shawl entered the café. The Barkleys and Nathaniel couldn't help but notice how quickly the talking in the café stopped. The room was now eerily quiet.

The young waitress who had served them, hurried over to the woman and took a hold of her arm. "You're not supposed come here."

"I couldn't stay away. I had to come warn them. Still waters run deep! There's trouble and pain in the air for them, maybe even death. They have to go back."

The young woman shook her head. "We've talked about this before. You need to go home." she nodded towards a blonde haired man who appeared to be in his late thirties who had stood up from one of the tables. "Bryon, he will take you home.'

"But I have to warn them!" The older woman's eyes roamed around the room even as the gentleman who the waitress had called Bryon took a hold of her arm. Jarrod, Nick, Heath and Nathaniel felt shivers go down their backs when her eyes stopped on them. Her eyes repeated the words she'd just spoken; however, Bryon was turning her around before she could speak directly to them. They watched the gentleman gently force the older woman out of the cafe.

"That was unnerving. I wonder who she is." Nathaniel asked, even as he went back to thinking whoever had followed him in San Francisco was now following him here. It again made him wonder if he should leave his friends.

As if he could read his friend's mind, Jarrod shook his head. "Don't let the woman get to you. We're not going our separate ways."

"If any of you get hurt, or worse yet killed," Nathaniel said as he paled just a little, "It would be my fault."

"No," Jarrod gave his friend a stern glare. "You have done nothing. Now, I suggest we relax and enjoy ourselves."

"Jarrod's right," Heath spoke up-throwing his poker face on in order to hide any concern he felt. "There's no reason to start blaming yourself for something that hasn't happened and, even if it does, it still wouldn't be your fault."

Nathaniel might have argued only the waitress was walking up to the table with their food.

"I'm sorry about that." The waitress gave them all an apologetic as she looked at the now closed doors. "Grandmama, she is not what she used to be. Her mind is not like it should be. She is supposed to stay at home with Papa. However, once in awhile, she wanders."

"Don't worry about it." Jarrod smiled as she set his plate of food in front of him while his eyes held sympathy for the young woman in them. "She hurt no one."

The waitress shocked all them when she lowered her voice and practically whispered, "Please, be careful. While Grandmama's mind is slipping, she's still right a lot of times. Only, I didn't say that while I'm working." She then hurried away, as if she was afraid her boss would show up, catch her talking to them about her grandmother and fire her for it.

While the three Barkleys and Nathaniel began eating, there was still an eerie feeling in the building. How could it be otherwise when the other patrons in the place were either talking low or not talking at all…as if they hadn't noticed her eyes had lingered on the Barkleys the longest and were wondering who the old woman had been talking about.


	9. Chapter 9

Still Waters Run Deep Chapter Nine

Nick, his brothers and Nathaniel left the café intending to go to the livery stable only to have Heath literally bump into the gentleman that the waitress had called Bryon; the gentleman was hurrying out of the store without looking where he was going. Even though Heath knew the man was fully guilty, he figured he would do what he could to deflate the situation rather than make it worse. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been walking so close to the door."

Bryon, who had intended to put the blame on Heath, was brought up short by the apology. For the first time in his life (and probably the last) he accepted responsibility. "It wasn't your fault. I should slow down." He started to walk away and then turned around. The concerned look in his eyes, and the words that followed surprised the Barkleys and Nathaniel when he, in essence, said the same thing their waitress had. He then hurried off before any of them could make the shortest of replies.

For a moment no one said a thing. Only after a small girl around eight ran past the four, practically bumping into Nick, was the silence broken. "Sorry, sir." The young girl blushed. "I was in a hurry." She then turned around…and went back to running. It made all four men smile.

"I think we best get our horses and get on our way." Jarrod turned around and headed for the livery stable.

As they walked down the boardwalk, Nick found his thoughts dwelling on the feelings he'd had in the Stockton store…along with the extra bullets in his saddlebag. He thought about saying something only he didn't want to chase Jarrod's friend away. 'For once, I hope I'm simply jumping to conclusions. I hope that old woman isn't right.' Nick thought as he, his brothers and Nathaniel entered the livery stable. It wasn't long before the four were riding out of town and towards the site they'd already chosen. Though, Nick found himself unable to keep from keeping his eyes and ears wide open, nothing happened as they traveled down the path that led to their destination. The trees looked all the same to Nick and Heath-who had also been keeping his eyes and ears wide open.

"Will you two relax?" Jarrod, who had been laughing, talking and swapping stories with Nathaniel, stopped his horse and looked over at his brothers. The two had been riding to the left of Nathaniel and himself. "This was your idea. I mean, for us to come out and put any concerns behind us." He leaned forward in his saddle. "I, for one, intend to enjoy as much of this vacation as I can. In spite of an old woman who is apparently slipping, and people who hold to their superstitions." He looked at his brothers and his friend…as if to dare them to say differently.

Nick and Heath weren't totally convinced only, for the sake of their older brother, they did their best to do as Jarrod had asked. Nothing more was said on the matter until they were setting up camp. Nick and Heath gathered the wood while Jarrod and Nathaniel dug a firepit and laid flat rocks around in a circle.

"There's a creek over there." Nick, hoping to forget the worry inside him, pointed to flowing water that was less than three hundred yards away. "I bet we can catch a few fish. We can add them to what we brought to fix for supper."

Heath, who had made sure his fishing pole was one of the first things he'd grabbed it, was quick to agree. "Sounds like a good idea,"

Jarrod and Nathaniel weren't sure that would happen, but why should they argue? They might be lucky and catch a bunch. Fish sounded better than the beans they'd brought anyway.

Nathaniel, who was embarrassed he'd forgotten his pole, apologized and told them, "Been years since I've been fishing. However, I knew what we'd be doing. I can't believe I forgot to get one."

"I can." Jarrod teased his friend as he reminded him of a fishing trip they'd made during one of their school breaks. "You had your mind too much on your homework. It was all Chuck and I could do to get you to relax." He went on to explain to his brothers that Chuck was one of their classmates. "Have no idea where he is now." Jarrod, who had anticipated his friend forgetting a fishing pole, handed Nathaniel the extra one Jarrod had brought with him.

"Yeah, well, at that time the two of you were more concerned about fun than studies." Nathaniel teased back, and then thanked him for the pole.

As each of them found a place to sit, Nick asked Jarrod if that particular trip was during the same time their parents had found it necessary to go to the school and have a heart to heart talk with Jarrod. "Or did you go a bit wild without Father or Mother finding out about it?" Nick's eyes were laughing as he asked the question.

He, Heath and Nathaniel all roared with laughter when Jarrod rolled his eyes and replied, "Who are you kidding? Of course, it was during that period of time. I could never get anything past either one of our parents. I swear they had a mole at the college!"

"They must have for the way your habits took a hundred and eighty degree turn!" Nathaniel was laughing so hard tears were rolling off his cheeks. "I've never seen anyone turn their life around so fast as you did. I was half way tempted to believe you were going to join a monastery afterwards!" That statement only got Nick, Heath…and even Jarrod…to laughing just as hard as Nathaniel was.

However, all their laughter came to an abrupt halt when they heard the pounding of a horse's hooves. Quickly the four men stood up and looked off to the side. While Nick, Jarrod and Nathaniel were stunned to see a woman dressed in buckskin riding hard towards them, they were even more shocked to hear Heath exclaim, "CONCHA!


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

_**Previously:**_

_However, all their laughter came to an abrupt halt when they heard the pounding of a horse's hooves. Quickly the four men stood up and looked off to the side. While Nick, Jarrod and Nathaniel were stunned to see a woman dressed in buckskin riding hard towards them, they were even more shocked to hear Heath exclaim, "CONCHA!_

Concha sat next to the campfire; Heath sat beside her while Nick, Jarrod and Nathaniel were on the other side of the empty pit. The five had walked back to the clearing the men had made their camp in, so Concha could explain why she'd ridden like someone was holding a match to her back in order to get to them.

Once each found a place to sit around the empty firepit, Jarrod looked from their unexpected visitor to Heath, and then back to the woman his brother had called Concha. "While I assume there's a reason for riding in here as if there was a fire nearby, I'd say introductions are in order. Well," he once again glanced at Heath who looked as if he had been caught with his hand in a cookie jar. "Most of us need an introduction."

Heath and Concha couldn't help but chuckle before Heath confessed how long he'd known the woman sitting next to him. "Maybe I should have said something only things hadn't gotten to that point." He introduced Concha to his brothers and Nathaniel. "Her mother is from Mexico. Her father was born and raised in Colorado and Texas, but moved to California after his wife died." He turned his head and looked at Concha. The fact that she was upset was as clear as day. "I didn't think you'd ever leave Lodi. What brought you here, and in such a rush?"

"I was helping a friend move." She took a deep breath and answered. "I was on my way home when I stopped for a rest." She then proceeded to tell her story, along with the facts that had propelled her to ride as far as she dared push her horse to the place she just knew Heath and his brothers would be. "So, you do know the men?" Concha asked as she looked at Heath and straightened up; she'd been leaning forward. She figured it was a rather stupid question since she'd seen the shocked look that appeared on Heath's face…the same look that appeared on all their faces. Only she didn't want to assume anything.

"I'm afraid so." Heath replied as he looked at Nathaniel and then at Jarrod, as if asking his oldest brother if he wanted to explain.

"Nathaniel sent two of the men to prison with my help; I sent the other one there." Jarrod proceeded to tell Concha their side of the story. "We had hoped we wouldn't cross paths with them."

Silence fell on the group…as each one dwelt upon the news that they were now being hunted by the very men they'd hoped to avoid. Not knowing what else to say, Concha stood up and excused herself…saying she was going to take care of her horse. Though, in all honesty, it was simply a reason to leave the men be. It wasn't until she had taken a brush out of her saddle bags-she always carried one with her-that she realized that Heath had joined her.

"I'm sorry to have had to bring you that kind of news." She told him, though she kept her eyes on her horse as she began brushing him. "I just didn't want you to be caught off guard when they showed up….which I'm sure they will. They sounded pretty determined."

Heath rested his hand on the tree that his friend's horse was tethered too while hooking the thumb of his other hand onto his side pocket. "You have nothing to be sorry for. It's nice to know you care enough to ride so hard and far to give us that warning."

Something in his voice made Concha turn her head. She was unprepared to see the depth of caring she saw in Heath's eyes-though, in all honesty, she didn't know why. It's not like they barely knew each other. "It's like I just said, you would have been unprepared if I hadn't." She quickly turned her attention back to her horse…as she had to admit just how much she cared for the blonde haired cowboy.

Heath's smile grew wider-as Concha had failed to keep how she felt about him out of her eyes. However, the smile faded as he thought on the what was, most likely, coming. "You need to go home. Your grandfather will be waiting for you."

Concha stepped away from her horse. "My grandfather is with the friends I helped move. They're old friends of his. No one is waiting for me in Lodi." She let out a sigh as she looked around the area. "This is not a good spot with men looking for all of you. Grandfather has a small cabin that has an excellent view of all the land surrounding it. We'd have to back track a couple miles. I know that's closer to town than any of you'd like, but it would give you better protection."

Heath might have argued only Nick, Jarrod and Nathaniel walked up before he could.

"She's right." Nick spoke up-even as he remembered the impression he'd received before Nathaniel met up with them, along with the extra bullets he'd bought. "There's too many places around here those men could use to remain out of our view."

Jarrod and Nathaniel agree, but they-like Heath-thought Concha should leave. That is, once she showed them where the cabin was.

"You don't need to be caught in the middle. I mean, that knife won't stand up against a pistol or rifle, and we don't have an extra firearm." Jarrod pointed out. He refrained from adding he'd seen the way Heath had been looking at the young woman. The last thing Jarrod wanted was for anyone that Heath was seriously looking at to be killed because she was with them when trouble hit.

"You best get your things. I'm not going anywhere, but the cabin. Also, don't worry about me and my lack of a rifle." Concha once again turned back to her horse.

Heath looked at his brothers and nodded towards the campfire, his eyes asking them to leave him and her alone. They, along with Nathaniel, did as he silently asked them to. Once they had walked away, Heath put his hand on Concha's shoulder and turned her to face him.

"I know you are more than capable of taking care of yourself only won't you, please, consider going back to Lodi once you show us where that cabin is?" Heath kept his eyes on her face.

While a small portion of her feared it would cost her a relationship with Heath, she could not change who she was. "I am many things, but a runner is not one of them. I have always faced danger, have never run from it. I don't ask for it, only I don't flee either. Don't ask me to do it now." Concha's eyes pled for him to accept it. "Besides, I'll be armed. I've told you before-grandpa always leaves a rifle in his cabins."

"You might get caught in the crossfire if something should happen." Heath, who had remembered that fact, spoke quietly as he pulled her close, an act that sent a warm feeling through her.

"I know only, like I said, I won't run away. Besides, something is telling me to stay-and that's not a way of saying I refuse to leave because of you." She returned his hug, and then added even more seriously, "Don't try taking any blame if something does happen to me. It's not yours to have."

Heath still didn't like it, but he said nothing. He simply held on and prayed for the best.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Nick, who had had to quit his storytelling when a nurse came in to check on Jarrod, watched as the pretty nurse walked out of the room. It made him half way wish he was the one who had been hurt instead. However, any thoughts he had of simply thinking of the nurse stopped when his mother spoke up-with a no nonsense tone in her voice.

"Other things can wait." She gave Nick a somewhat annoyed look-though there was also understanding in her eyes. The nurse _was_ beautiful.

Jarrod, who started struggling to reposition himself, chuckled. "Can't expect him not to look, can we?" He winked at Nick, who was chuckling at the comment as he helped his older brother. Once Nick had the pillows straightened, Jarrod propped himself against them.

"Well, I'm not blind." Nick grinned back.

While she enjoyed the banter between the two, Victoria was also eager to hear the rest of the story-especially since Heath was still missing. "So, did you get shot on your way to the cabin or after?" She looked at Jarrod.

Jarrod rubbed the sides of his legs. "The trip to the cabin was uneventful, just us chatting with each other. We were all hoping that, by some chance, those men would lose any trail they found…or not find it at all."

"Uh- huh," Victoria smirked with a raised eyebrow, along with a look that said 'You have got to be kidding!" It made both Jarrod and Nick give her boyish grins for a split second, before the mood turned serious again. "So," Victoria straightened, "The three of you, Nathaniel and this Concha went to the cabin." Her eyebrows turned down slightly. "How big is the cabin?"

"Kitchen, one large bedroom and the living room, only," Nick said, as he and Jarrod both had to shake their heads slightly, "before you ask… at Concha's insistence… Jarrod here, Heath, myself and Nathaniel took the room. She slept..." Nick couldn't help but allow a chuckle to slip out as he looked at Jarrod, who was grinning.

"She slept where?" Victoria asked, even if she tried to think where on earth the young woman could have slept that would have her sons fighting to keep from flat out laughing.

"On the roof," Nick finally answered; he wasn't surprised by the shocked looked that leapt onto his mother's face. "She said she'd slept up there many times in the past-when she, her grandfather and others stayed at the cabin. Concha said she told them it made the stars easier to look at. Though, she confessed that the majority of the time it was really because it was just too crowded. She didn't want to fight anyone though, and just let them believe she was a bit strange. Well, that is, unless it was dead of winter. If that was the case, she said she had no real choice but to put up with 'all the people'."

Victoria, who didn't feel like listening to more than was needed, asked, "So, how long were you at the cabin when the trouble started?"

"A little over twelve hours." Jarrod spoke up. "Nathaniel, Nick and I were playing cards when Heath and Concha came down from the roof…" he couldn't help but grin when his mother gave him a concerned look. "Concha hadn't come down, and Heath went up to make sure she was all right."

"Heath wasn't up there twenty minutes when he and Concha came hurrying into the cabin." Nick spoke up when Jarrod yawned. "They'd seen three men off in the distance and were sure it was our 'friends'. Jarrod, Heath, Nathaniel and myself grabbed our rifles while Nathaniel took his, and then went to various places in the cabin. Concha, who had retrieved one of her grandfather's rifles that was kept in the cabin, placed herself next to the front window."

Jarrod yawned again as he fought to stay awake. "Concha was right. Had we stayed where we were, we'd all be six feet under now. As it was, a noise coming from the back of the cabin made me turn away from the window I was guarding. I heard a shot and glass breaking, don't remember anything after that." He yawned for the third time.

"Nick and I can finish this story while we eat lunch. You," she said as he looked upon her oldest, "need your sleep." Victoria stood up and left the room and walked past the nurse's station. She might not have known which room her son been taken to when she first arrived, only she knew the way to the cafeteria.

Nick, who whole heartedly agreed when it came to Jarrod, didn't fight his mother as he told Jarrod they'd be back later, and then followed Victoria down the long corridor. Neither one of them spoke a word until they were sitting at a table that set in the farthest corner of the hospital cafeteria. Then it was Victoria who broke the silence. "Jarrod doesn't remember any more because that shot he heard was one of the bullets that hit him." She looked up on Nick as if to dare him to deny it.

"Bullets, both bullets came through that window." Nick corrected her.

_"Jarrod!" Nick yelled as he ran to his older brother who had fallen to the floor. He didn't have to tell Nathaniel or Heath to see who it was that had taken the shot or to shoot back. One minute he was flying down next to Jarrod, the next minute, Heath and the others were exchanging gunfire with the men. In what seemed like an eternity-though it was less than two minutes, all was quiet._

_ "I bet you they're still out there." Nathaniel said as he glanced at Nick, who had managed to get the bleeding from Jarrod's back to stopped. "We've got to do something to lure them away from here. You've got to get Jarrod to Dr. Acres."_

_ Nick shot him a glare that sent the message 'You feel the need to tell me this why?'_

"That's when he and Heath decided to play decoy?" Victoria said flatly. "What about this Concha of whom you say Heath likes so much?"

Nick sighed. "Heath and Nathaniel managed to get their horses and ride off-making sure the men saw them. Concha and I planned on hauling Jarrod down on an old Travois her grandfather had behind the cabin."

"But?" Victoria asked after Nick hesitated.

"Only two men chased after Heath and Nathaniel." Nick finally sighed and replied. "I had carried Jarrod outside. The Travois wasn't in as good as shape as Concha remembered. That being the case, I laid Jarrod on the ground, resting his head on Concha's lap. After that, I hurried and did what I could to fix the contraption, and then we left." Nick shook his head. "We hadn't gotten that far when Concha saw the third man. We hurried and hid behind some boulders." He paused and shook his head. "She downright insisted on going back, said she knew she could get him to follow her. I argued with her, as I've never left a woman in a position like that before. I didn't like doing it now only…" he shook his head as he growled out in frustration, "I couldn't it have it both ways. She **wasn't** budging, and Jarrod** needed** medical attention desperately. So, I finally relented and gave her the extra bullets I'd bought, turns out our pistols took the same type of ammunition." He sighed. "She was right. From where I and Jarrod were hidden, I could see the man head back toward the cabin…that's where she'd headed. I don't know what happened after that. I just got on my horse and pushed for Silver City, praying Jarrod would still be alive when I got there. You know the rest."

While Victoria found herself feeling very much in debt to a woman she'd never known and hoped the young woman had survived, she was even more worried about her blonde haired stepson and what was happening to him.

"He'll find his way here or back home." Nick, who just knew what his mother was thinking, did his best to sound confident and reassuring-even as he silently asked himself, '_Where are you, Heath? What is going on?"_


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

**Previously:**

**While Victoria found herself feeling very much in debt to a woman she'd never known and hoped the young woman had survived, she was even more worried about her blonde haired stepson and what was happening to him.**

** "He'll find his way here or back home." Nick did his best to sound confident and reassuring-even as he silently asked himself, '**_**Where are you, Heath? What is going on?"**_

Heath stood behind a huge boulder as he peeked around the corner of it. The boulder itself stood on top of a steep slope, a hill that Charger and Nathaniel's horse barely managed to climb. Heath checked the bullets in his pistol. As he did so, he glanced at the rifle that lay on the ground. For a lightning fast moment, he could see him and Nathaniel trying to get across a clearing into another wooded area only to hear the sound of gunfire.

_"Nathaniel!" Heath reached out as he and Jarrod's friend disappeared into the wooded area. "You've been hit!"_

_ "Tell me something I don't know." Nathaniel slid off his horse and into a clump of trees and bushes. "Listen to me." He grabbed Heath's lower arm-the blonde haired cowboy had jumped down next to him. "Take my horse and rifle. Keep riding. Those two are so bent on revenge; they won't know about me if you get out of here now! After all, this 'hole'-as it were- is pretty well hidden." He let go of Heath's arm and closed his eyes. "And don't argue with me! I'm a dead man anyway."_

Heath swore under his breath as he thought on the fact he'd wanted to argue with Nathaniel only the man had already taken his last breath. That being the case, Heath had promised himself to come back for Nathaniel the first change he got…he'd makes sure the gentleman had a proper burial, and then he'd done as Jarrod's friend had said to do. After all, the two men were practically on top of him as it was. When it came to the Rankin twins, they had done as the dead man had predicted. Now, Heath just hoped that between his weapons and Nathaniel's rifle, he'd have enough ammo to survive. Shaking off his musings, Heath prepared to fight yet another battle alone.

At that moment, Lewis and Kyle Rankins came into view. While Heath could see them, the two Rankin brothers could not see him-though they could see tracks that headed up the slope, along with the two horses that were tethered to a tree. "What are we going to do?" Kyle looked around and realized that the steep slope stretched out quite a ways. He couldn't help but cuss.

However, Lewis' mind was turning its clock back as he looked at the two sets of tracks that led up the slope. "I thought you said you shot one of them."

"I did!" Kyle snapped, though his eyes held a large degree of uncertainty in them. "What makes you bring that up now?"

"There's no blood and yet there's two horses…and no one's had time to bury anyone. You didn't kill anyone!" Lewis said just as the sun hit Heath's pistol-sending light down the slope.

"They're up there for sure!" Kyle flew off his horse, took a shot and then darted for a tree. Lewis did the same thing.

"There's got to be a way up there!" Lewis looked around. He was elated to see a trail he'd missed seeing-so intent on following the tracks the horses had left. "Go up that trail; I'll cover you while you go there!" He ordered his brother.

Kyle didn't want to be the one to try to get behind the men, but he didn't feel like they had time to argue. He took off running while Lewis started shooting towards the rocks. Heath shot off a couple of rounds, one towards Kyle and one towards Lewis. Unfortunately, his bullets missed both their marks.

Heath, who was getting ready to attempt to shoot Lewis again, started when he heard the sound of gunfire come from up above him and watched as Kyle rolled down the trail and stopped. Whether the man was dead or simply badly inured, Heath had no clue. "What..." he started to say only to feel his heart about stop as Concha jumped off the hill and landed behind the rock. It was amazing she didn't break anything; it wasn't exactly a small jump she'd had to make.

"Thought you could use some help," She looked around the corner; she could see the top of Lewis' hat.

"Thought you were with Nick and Jarrod," Heath commented-keeping his eyes on Lewis as well.

"I was; now I'm here. They get Nathaniel?" She asked glancing at the rifle Heath was now holding, along with the horses that were tethered nearby.

"Yes, but they don't know that." He sighed and gave a condensed version of what had happened. "I don't know what shape his corpse will be in when I go back, but he'll have to be buried. That is," he said as he took another shot at Lewis -who had taken yet another shot at them. "If we make it out of here alive. I just wish I knew where Allan is." He then asked her what had happened and how she'd found him.

"Allan's dead." Concha told him how the former convict had not followed him and Nathaniel. She told him everything. "Nick wasn't happy with me, but he had no choice but to listen. He left; I killed Allan not a second after he entered the cabin and tried to kill me and then started tracking you. Don't know how I missed seeing Nathaniel's body." She smiled as Heath shook his head and told her San Francisco was in the other direction.

"Yeah, but you and Nathaniel, along with these two men weren't going there." She did her best not curse as a bullet from Lewis' gun ricocheted off the boulder… inches from her head. "How many guns does that man have with him?"

Heath, who knew the question translated into 'how long of a fight do you think this will be', shrugged his shoulders. "I have no clue. Let's just hope this doesn't go on too long. I want to get to San Francisco."

"You'll find Jarrod alive, Heath. I just know it." Concha smiled, before turning her attention back to the man that had them trapped…hoping for the best.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

_Previously:_

_ Heath, who knew the question translated into 'how long of a fight do you think this will be', shrugged his shoulders. "I have no clue. Let's just hope this doesn't go on too long. I want to get to San Francisco."_

_ "You'll find Jarrod alive, Heath. I just know it." Concha smiled, before turning her attention back to the man that had them trapped…hoping for the best._

"You best eat up or your nurse might come in here and force feed you." Nick teased Jarrod upon walking into his older brother's hospital room. Jarrod The plate that had been brought in to Jarrod was barely touched.

"I try to eat and then," Jarrod sighed as he looked out the window. "I… I just have this nagging feeling something is wrong. I mean, like something bad has happened-or is happening. Because of that, I keep wondering where Heath and Nathaniel are." He paused and looked at Nick. He knew his brother was feeling more than guilty at having to give in and leave Concha alone. "I wonder about Miss Bronson too, Nick. If anything has indeed happened to her, it's not your fault. You said she flat out insisted on staying behind in order to give you the chance to get me here. I'll be forever in debt to both of you." The fact that Jarrod hoped that the woman was alive, and that he hoped to thank her for being willing to take such a risk in order to give him a fighting chance to live, didn't need to be voiced out loud. Nick already knew it.

Nick, who had been trying to deal with similar feelings, said nothing for a moment. Then, knowing there was no way to get any answers right away, he did his best to lighten the mood that had fallen into the room. "Doctor says you start therapy in about ten minutes." Nick looked at Jarrod's legs and smiled wide. His brother was already having an easier time moving his legs. "He doesn't seem to think you don't have that long of a road of you. Maybe a couple of months if that."

"Won't take that long," Jarrod pushed his thoughts aside and sat up, pushing his left leg off the bed as he did so. He then swung his right one off the bed as well. "It's just this left leg that's giving me problems now, and it's not that bad." He smiled and added, "Maybe after the therapy session, we can get talk the doctor into letting Mother and you taking me out to eat. There's a restaurant across the street. That is, across the street that runs along the west side of the hospital." He might not have said that only the doctor had already said that Jarrod might start therapy in the hospital; however, since Jarrod was due to be released in two days, any exercises would be done in the confines of the Barkley home.

"I've heard about that place." Nick made a face. "I think bullfrog stew would tasted better; we're better off sticking with the hospital food."

Jarrod might have told Nick the restaurant couldn't be that bad only he and Nick were shocked, but elated, when they heard a soft drawl in the doorway. "Well, I could always see what I could do about rounding up some bullfrogs for you-though, might take a while in this town."

Nick whirled around while Jarrod turned his face towards the door. A somber tone come into the room as they their brother's left arm was resting in a blue arm sling and the crooked smile did not quite reach his eyes. "HEATH!" Nick took a step forward and, not knowing that Concha had caught up with Heath, asked only about Jarrod's friend. "What happened? Where's Nathaniel?"

Heath didn't have to say a word as he gazed upon Jarrod; the painful look in his eyes, and his silence, spoke volumes. However, before either Nick or Jarrod, whose hearts had plummeted upon realizing what the look on Heath's face was about, their blonde haired brother was speaking. "They chased us good tens miles before shooting him in the back." He went onto tell them where Nathaniel had fallen and what he'd had Heath do. "He was right. Because we had disappeared into the trees and bushes, they didn't see him fall." He shook his head and continued, "He fell into a clump of bushes. They hid him well, making it so the Rankins didn't see him."

"How did you get away?" Jarrod asked, sick at the thought that Nathaniel was lying on the cold hard ground where any predator could get to him.

Seeing the ill look in Jarrod's and Nick's eyes, Heath didn't answer the question at first. He wanted to assure them Nathaniel was being taken care. "San Francisco's undertaker is taking care of him until his closest of kin can be contacted." Heath sighed. "I wish things had turned out different."

Jarrod gave him a nod. "So, you out ran them, but not before they hurt you as well?" He pointed towards the sling. "They're still out there somewhere?" A bit of anger was in his eyes while Nick's held disgust in them.

Heath didn't answer at first. Then, slowly, he nodded towards the door. "Let's not talk about how I got hurt. Let's help our dear brother into that wheelchair." He looked at Nick. "And then, the two of you can follow me."

"Heath…" Nick took a step forward only to have Heath stop him in his tracks.

"Don't ask me any questions, please." Heath interrupted. "Well, not right now."

Heath went to help Nick get Jarrod into the wheelchair only Jarrod had already managed to do that himself. That being the case, Heath turned and walked out the door.

"Sure wish I knew what is going on." Nick said as he pushed Jarrod out of the room and down the hall.

Jarrod, who felt the same way, said nothing. How could he when he was coming up with a hundred different reasons for what was happening?


	14. Chapter 14 and Epilogue

Chapter Fourteen and Epilogue

**Previously:**

**Heath went to help Nick get Jarrod into the wheelchair only Jarrod had already managed to do that himself. That being the case, Heath turned and walked out the door.**

"**Sure wish I knew what is going on." Nick said as he pushed Jarrod out of the room and down the hall.**

**Jarrod, who felt the same way, said nothing. How could he when he was coming up with a hundred different reasons for what was happening?**

Nick, agitated by Heath's silence as they left Jarrod's room behind, snapped slightly, "Would it hurt to tell us what's going on? I mean, Mother only stepped out for a little while. She could be back any minute. When she does, she's going to want answers too. I'd like to have them before she gets back."

"Hear, hear," Jarrod, who agreed with Nick, spoke up as they passed the nurse's station.

Heath might have told his brothers everything only they were already at the room he was taking them to. That being the case, he simply opened the door and stepped inside.

"What is…" Nick started to snap only to find his eyes widening; Jarrod was having the same reaction. They couldn't believe their eyes. Concha Isabel Bronson was propped up against two pillows, a smile stretched from one of her ears to the other. Their mother was sitting in a chair that sat next to the bed.

"What happened?" Nick looked from Concha to Heath, and then back to Concha. Since he asked the question as his eyes fell on Heath's friend, she was the one to reply.

"I got shot." She replied matter of factually, and then fought to keep a straight face as she added, "Don't ask me how Heath got hurt." The moment she said the words-and glanced at Victoria, she lost the battle. She and the Barkley matriarch started laughing…it only served to make Nick and Jarrod more curious than ever.

"Heath," Jarrod gave his blonde haired brother 'that' look…he had to; the women were still laughing-to the point of tears running down their cheeks.

Heath, who wished he was elsewhere, explained how Concha had killed Allan, followed his and Nathaniel's trail, and caught up with him just in time to help him. "Also one Marshal Grant heard the shooting and came to our rescue as well…it seems he recognized Lewis Rankins right away and knew which side to fight on. Unfortunately, Concha took a bullet just before the gentleman got to us." He went on to say how the US Marshal had aided him in retrieving Nathaniel's body and getting Concha to the hospital. "Yeah, there was a doctor closer, but- since her wound wasn't life threatening, she asked to be brought here."

"And you?" His brothers' eyebrows rose just a little…which only served to make Victoria and Concha-who had gotten control of themselves, to start laughing again, and served to make Heath send Concha a stern glare-even as a sparkle appeared in his eyes while his mouth began turning slightly upwards.

"When someone warns you about still waters running deep, they should mention the shallow water and small pebbles." Heath chuckled and went on to explain that after they'd arrived at the hospital, he'd tripped. "Wouldn't have been so bad only I hit into one of the cafeteria workers who was pushing a lunch cart."

"When everything was said and done," Victoria, who had witnessed the whole scene, spoke up. "He was pinned to the floor under one very stout German-the cafeteria worker."

Jarrod and Nick laughed at the picture that popped into their minds. "So, what did it do?" Jarrod asked as he pointed to the sling.

"Broke my collarbone." Heath glanced at the sling on his arm. "It will be my companion for awhile." His brothers, who looked as if they were in pain for a split second, might have teased him only Jarrod's nurse poked her head in and told him to get down to the therapy room. "Doc is releasing you in the morning, said the therapist is simply meeting with you to give you your exercises and some instructions." The brown haired nurse then looked at Concha. "You're leaving tomorrow as well." Her eyes added, 'I don't know why you were admitted in the first place.' She then left the room with Nick pushing Jarrod behind her.

Epilogue

A slightly wind blew through Laurel Hill cemetery. A few visitors could be seen here and there only, for his part, Jarrod paid them no mind. He was leaning on his fine oak cane and looking at the headstone in front of him.

**NATHANIEL TYLER June 1, 1843 to August 8, 1875. Beloved Husband, Son and Friend.**

"Sorry, I didn't make it to your funeral… or that I haven't visited sooner." Jarrod sighed as he leaned on his fine oak cane and thought on the past year… mostly how surprised he'd been to learn how fast Nathaniel's family had buried him. Though, as he'd thought on it, he really hadn't been all that shocked. He was just sorry it had taken him so long to make it to the cemetery. "And I hope you know, I don't blame you for this." He tapped his leg. "It might be taking longer than the doctors thought it would to work right, but it still works…and I don't have to use the cane too much anymore." He looked towards the fence that surrounded the cemetery. He could see Nick and Heath standing next to the fence while Concha, who was actually wearing a beautiful red dress, sat in the wagon next to her grandfather. The old man had insisted on being her chaperone when he'd learned she wanted to go with Heath to visit the cemetery as well. "Heath and Concha have been courting each other since we returned home. From what I can see, I'd say there's a high chance there will be a wedding in our family's near future. Wish you could be there," He spoke of how Concha had had to kill Allan in self defense. Then, taking a deep breath, added-fighting to keep the anger out of his voice, "Kyle Rankin was dead by the time Heath and the US Marshal checked him. Lewis survived, though it's a miracle. He was shot twice…once by Heath and once by the US Marshal. He won't be seeing the outside world for a long time. As much as I'd like to have seen him hung, they say the bullet they took out of you did indeed come from Kyle's gun. You can't hang a dead man." Jarrod fell into silence. Only when Nick tapped him on the shoulder did he turn away.

"I told you before…this wasn't your fault either." Nick nodded towards the headstone.

"I know." Jarrod turned around and headed towards the fence. "Still he died fighting to give me a chance to live. That hurts like crazy."

The two brothers walked in silence for a moment. Just as Jarrod was convinced there was nothing more to be said, Nick smiled. "By the way, you might want to buy a new suit…preferably before April fifth."

"What fo…" Jarrod started to ask only to start smiling wide as he looked at Heath, who had climbed back into the wagon and was now sitting next to Concha. "Don't tell me," Jarrod chuckled, "we get to ride in the back."

"It will be easier on that leg of yours anyway, give it plenty of stretching room." Nick too chuckled, and then walked out of the cemetery with his older brother.


End file.
